Narrative:

During descent to runway for landing at ewr, ATIS indicated runway 4R as the landing runway. TRACON advised runway 4R, and cleared crew to intercept the localizer runway 4R, 'maintain 170 KTS to dooin' (FAF for runway 4R). During approach (visual in VMC conditions -- localizer/GS out -- not on ATIS) flight was instructed to execute a missed approach. Runway 4R was closed, runway 4L was the active runway. Tower was called after landing and the matter was discussed with the captain. Neither felt that an emergency existed, however, the event could have been one under certain circumstances. No further action taken by flight crew, or by TRACON, except to clarify the confusion with runway closure information dissemination, either by electronic or verbal means.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW INFORMED BY ATIS AND APCH CTLR RWY 4R AT EWR IN USE BUT FIND OUT ON FINAL THE RWY IS CLOSED.

Narrative: DURING DSCNT TO RWY FOR LNDG AT EWR, ATIS INDICATED RWY 4R AS THE LNDG RWY. TRACON ADVISED RWY 4R, AND CLRED CREW TO INTERCEPT THE LOC RWY 4R, 'MAINTAIN 170 KTS TO DOOIN' (FAF FOR RWY 4R). DURING APCH (VISUAL IN VMC CONDITIONS -- LOC/GS OUT -- NOT ON ATIS) FLT WAS INSTRUCTED TO EXECUTE A MISSED APCH. RWY 4R WAS CLOSED, RWY 4L WAS THE ACTIVE RWY. TWR WAS CALLED AFTER LNDG AND THE MATTER WAS DISCUSSED WITH THE CAPT. NEITHER FELT THAT AN EMER EXISTED, HOWEVER, THE EVENT COULD HAVE BEEN ONE UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES. NO FURTHER ACTION TAKEN BY FLT CREW, OR BY TRACON, EXCEPT TO CLARIFY THE CONFUSION WITH RWY CLOSURE INFO DISSEMINATION, EITHER BY ELECTRONIC OR VERBAL MEANS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.